Toy vehicle



H. TOOLE. TOY VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. I920- 1,37 1,132. Patented Mar. 8,1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

INVENTOR H. TOOLE.

"TOY VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1920.

1,371,132. Patented Mar 8,1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

576 z7 X mo 4 Z6 /ZO Z WITNESS:

H. TOOLE.

TOY VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1920.

1,37 1, 1 32, Pawma Mar. 8, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT TOOLE, OF WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY.

TOY VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed June 7, 1920. Serial No. 387,012.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERBERT TOOLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vest New York, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Toy Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toys, particularly to toy vehicles, and has for its object the provision of a toy which is convertlble whereby to constitute a coaster, a pullable cart, or a scooter.

An important object is the provision of a device of this character which includes a wheel supported platform provided with steering means and having a seat adapted to be folded flat upon the platform so that the device may be used as a scooter and also adapted to be swung upwardly and held in spaced relation to the platform so that the user may sit thereupon, three wheels being provided, two at the back, and one at the front, and the forward wheel carrylng a steering arm which may be disposed in substantially horizontal position when the device is used as a coaster, which may be extended forwardly as a towing handle when the device is used as a cart or wagon, and which may be secured in substantially upright position when the device is used as a scooter.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character provided with novel braking mechanism whereby its speed during coasting may be readily controlled.

Still another object is the provision of a device of this character which may be provided with propelling means in the nature of pedals connected with cranks on the axles carrying the rear wheels.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, highly efficient and amusing in use, durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in its normal state with the seat in elevated position, 7

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the handle member swung forwardly so that the device will be adapted for use as a cart or wagon,

Fig. 3 is a similar View with the handle member held in substantially upright position and with the seat folded downwardly onto the platform so that the device will serve as a scooter,

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view,

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, v

Fig. 6 is a detail cross sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the device provided with pedal propelling means.

The remaining figures, 8 to 11, show adifferent means for mounting the seat.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a supporting platform which may be formed as a board of suitable length and width and which is provided preferably at its sides with reinforcing metallic strips 11 which are inclined upwardly at the forward end of the platform, as shown at 12, and which are suitably connected to form a head 13. Suitably journaled at the rear end of the platform 10 are wheels 14 which may be rubber tired if desired. Journaled through the head 13 is a forked member which includes an outer U-shaped member 15 between the lower ends of the arms of which is journaled the dirigible front wheel 16 which may also be rubber tired, if preferred. Suitably connected with this U-shaped member 15 is an inner U-shaped member 17 from which extends a king bolt 18 journaled through the head 13 and carrying an acorn nut 19. Associated with this head is a handle 20 which has its lower end formed U- shaped, as indicated at 21. and this U-shaped portion is pivoted upon the head, as shown at 22, and is further provided with a hole 23., At its upper extremity this handle member carries a transverse pair of hand engaging members 24.

The device also includes a seat which carries upon its underside a pair of inverted U-shaped members 26 with which are pivotally connected links 27 pivoted upon the sides of the platform 10. The links 27 also carry leaf-springs 28 having knobs 29 and also having pins 30 which are engageable through holes 31 in the links and other holes 32 in the end portions of the inverted U-shaped members 26. it will be seen that the seat may be held By this means in elevated position when the pins 30 are engaged through the holes 31 and 32.

Disposed upon the underside of the platform 10 is a brake mechanism which includes pivotally connected bars 33 slidable through guide brackets 34 and carrying a brake beam 35 adapted to be moved into engagement with the rear wheels 14. At their forward ends the bars 33 have connected therewith a pedal 36 which is pivoted with respect to the platform 10.

Under ordinary conditions, that is when the parts of the device are arranged, as shown in Fig. 1, with the seat 25 elevated into and held in position above the platform 10, the device may be used in the following manner: The child using the device sits upon the seat 25 and propels the device along the ground with one foot, one hand grasping the cross bar at the extremity of the handle 20 and thus guiding the device in its course. If desired, a child sitting upon the seat 253 may be drawn along by another child pulling upon the handle 20, the handle in this case of course extending forwardly of the front instead of rearwardly, as in the first instance.

WVhen it is desired, the device maybe used for coasting down hills, in which event the operator sits upon the seat 25 and places one foot upon the brake pedal 36, holding the handle 20 in one or preferably both hands. \Vhen the speed increases too greatly, the user may easily exert a braking action by placing one foot upon and pressing against the pedal 36 whereupon the members 33 will be moved rearwardly and will cause the brake beam 35 to be brought into engagement with therear wheels 14.

It will be observed that the device is convertible for use as a scooter and when such use is desired, it is necessarythat the operator grasp the'knobs 29 on the leafsprings 28 and pull the leaf-springs outwardly to disengage the pins 30 from the holes 32 whereupon the seat 25 may be forced rearwardly and downwardly into contact with the platform 10. At the same time the handle 20 is swung upwardly into alinement with the U-shaped member 15 carrying the front wheel 16' whereupon a suitable pin is passed through the handle and through the holes 23. When this is done the device will have the appearance shown in Fig. 3 and the handle 20 will be disposed in substantially upright position. The device may then be used by a child who places one foot. upon the platform 10 in advance of the down folded seat member 25, the child, propelling the device by pushing .withhis other foo If desired, the device might be so constructed as to have propelling mechanism and in this event the construction is as shown. in Fig. 7. In this form the platform 38 is provided with spaced pedals 39 which are pivotally mounted and which are connected by links 40 with crank portions 41 formed in the rear axle 42 which carries the rear wheels 43. In the use of this form of the device, the child seated upon the seat 25 places his feet upon the pedals 39 and by alternately pressing upon them causes rotation of the rear axle 41 carrying the wheels 43.

f If desired, I may employ a different mounting for the seat from that shown and described above. If preferred, I may provide the seat with inverted V-shaped bars 45 secured upon its underside. Each arm 46 of each bar is formed at its end with a notch 47 and, spaced from its end, with a slot 48. I also provide bars 49 pivoted upon the sides of seat, each bar 49 carrying rivets, or the like, 50 and 51. The rivets 50 pass through the slots 43 while the rivets 51 are ongageable by the notches 47 whereby to hold the arms 46 rigid with respect to the bars 49. When it is desired to lay the seat flat, it is necessary to pull up slightly thereon to disengage the notches 47 from the rivets 51 whereupon the bars 49 may be swung rearwardly and downwardly, carrying the seat downwardly also.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply and consequently inexpensive device which is readily convertible foruse in various capacities, the transition from one adaptation to the other being quickly and easily effected.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the nvention or the scope of the subjoined cla ms.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a supporting platform, wheels supporting the rear end thereof, a dirigible front wheel connected with thefront end of the platform and carrying a steering handle, a pair of links pivoted upon. each edge of the platform, a seat member, and a pair of inverted U-shapedmembers carried by said seat member and pivotally connected with the free ends of said links, and means for rigidly connecting said links and the end portions of said inverted U-shaped members when said seat is disposed in spaced parallel relation above said platform.

2. A device of the character described comprising a sup-porting platform, wheels supporting the rear end thereof, a dirigible front wheel at the front end of the platform and having a handle, a pair of links pivotedv upon each side edge of the platform, a seat,

a pair of members secured upon the under side of the seat and pivotally connected with said links, and means for locking said links with respect to said members when the seat is in elevated position in spaced relation to the platform whereby to hold the seat rigid.

3. A device of the character described comprising a supporting platform, wheels supporting the rear end thereof, a dirigible front wheel at the front end of the platform and having a handle, a pair of links pivoted upon each side edge of the platform, a seat, a pair of members secured upon the underside of the seat and pivotally connected with said links, and means for locking said links with respect to said members when the seat is in elevated position in spaced relation to the platform whereby to hold the seat rigid, said members being formed as inverted U- shaped brackets having depending arms, and catch members carried by the links and engageable with said arms.

4. A device of the character described comprising a supporting platform, wheels supporting the rear end thereof, a dirigible front wheel at the front end of the platform and having a handle, a pair of links pivoted upon each side edge of the platform, a seat, a pair of members secured upon the underside of the seat and pivotally connected with said links, means for locking said links with respect to said members when the seat is in elevated position in spaced relation to the platform whereby to hold the seat rigid, said members being formed as inverted U-shaped brackets having depending arms, and catch members carried by the links and engageable with said arms, said catch members being in the na ture of leaf-springs secured upon the links and provided at their free ends with pins, and the depending arms of the brackets and the upper ends of the links being formed with holes adapted to be brought into registration for the reception of said pins.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERBERT TOOLE. 

